Agenda and draft minutes

To receive any apologies for absence from Councillors.

Apologies for absence were received from Cllrs Duane Farr and Lisa Northover.  Cllr Julie Bagwell was absent.

To receive information on any changes in the membership of the Committee.

Note – When a member of a Committee is unable to attend a meeting of a Committee or Sub-Committee, the relevant Political Group Leader (or their nominated representative) may, by notice to the Monitoring Officer (or their nominated representative) prior to the meeting, appoint a substitute member from within the same Political Group. The contact details on the front of this agenda should be used for notifications.

There were no substitute members on this occasion.

Councillors are requested to declare any interests on items included in this agenda. Please refer to the workflow on the preceding page for guidance.

Declarations received will be reported at the meeting.

There were no declarations of interest made on this occasion.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the Meeting held on 7 May 2025.

The Minutes of the meeting held on 7 May 2025 were confirmed as an accurate record and signed by the Chair.

To receive any public questions, statements or petitions submitted in accordance with the Constitution. Further information on the requirements for submitting these is available to view at the following link:-

https://democracy.bcpcouncil.gov.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeID=151&Info=1&bcr=1

The deadline for the submission of public questions is midday Thursday 19 February 3 clear working days before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a statement is midday Tuesday 24 February the working day before the meeting.

The deadline for the submission of a petition is Tuesday 10 February 10 working days before the meeting.

A public statement was received from James Hatts in relation to Agenda Item 8 as follows:

As a local resident, I'm delighted to see that design work is proposed for "active travel improvements along Talbot Avenue, Wimborne Road and Lansdowne Road".

I would urge the advisory group to emphasise to officers working on this scheme the importance of upgrading the pedestrian experience at Cemetery Junction.

At present, to cross the northern arm of the junction there is no pedestrian phase on the lights.

Pedestrians must contend with traffic joining Charminster Road coming from three possible directions (the two arms of Wimborne Road, plus Lansdowne Road) to judge when it is safe to cross.

This is not a crossing I relish using with my 5-month-old daughter.

As well as being an important link between the university campuses and the station, this is also a key access to the cemetery itself.

A simple change would make this route a lot more comfortable for many pedestrians young and old.

This report considers the outcome of the statutory public consultation for the proposed Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) which is required to implement the proposed 20mph Winton / Moordown Neighbourhood as consulted upon in Spring 2025.

The aim is to improve safety for all road users by reducing the number of collisions within the proposed area thereby creating a safer environment, the proposal should also encourage more sustainable travel.   

The report recommends full consideration of the consultation outputs and recommends implementation of the advertised speed limit changes. 

The Head of Transport and Sustainable Travel introduced the Transport Network Manager to present a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix ‘A’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The report considered the outcome of the statutory public consultation for the proposed Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) which was required to implement the proposed 20mph Winton/Moordown Neighbourhood as consulted upon in Spring and Autumn 2025.

The aim was to improve safety for all road users by reducing the number of collisions within the proposed area thereby creating a safer environment, the proposal should also encourage more sustainable travel.   

The report recommends full consideration of the consultation outputs and recommends implementation of the advertised speed limit changes. 

The Group considered the Report, including:

• Members discussed concerns about objections to 20mph zones and noted claims of increased pollution were unfounded.
• In response to concerns raised regarding enforcement and the potential use of speed?indicator devices (SIDs), Officers confirmed legal signage requirements and that SIDs were not currently included due to cost.
• Members supported future consideration of SIDs, prioritising longer road sections.
• Strong support was expressed for the expansion of 20mph schemes across further areas.
• Members welcomed use of randomised surveys and requested clearer terminology and contextual data be used in future reports.
• Officers confirmed the scheme was part of a wider pilot programme.
• The Group was advised that implementation was expected within 3–6 months after legal sealing.

RESOLVED that the Transportation Advisory Group (TAG) recommends to Cabinet that the scheme (as per Appendix 1) be implemented as advertised.

Voting: Nem. Con.

With agreement of the Group, Agenda Item 10 was considered next.

The council has been awarded £5.64m Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) by the Department for Transport (DfT) for 2026/27 to continue delivery of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

The purpose of this paper is to seek council approval to accept and invest the grant, which is a combination of both capital and revenue funding. 

A proportion of the revenue element of the grant has been allocated to support a revised subsidised bus service network in accordance with the 4 February 2026 Subsidised Bus Services Review Cabinet report.

Note: this report should be read in conjunction with the Local Transport Consolidated Funding Programme 2026/27 Cabinet report.

The Head of Transport and Sustainable Travel introduced the Transport Network Manager to present a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix ‘B’ to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Council had consulted on the potential establishment of a BCP Lane Rental Scheme (LRS) which would enable the Council to charge up to £2,500 per day for works on the busiest roads at the busiest times.

The report presented the outputs of the consultation and sought approval to apply to the Secretary of State for Transport to establish a BCP Lane Rental Scheme.

The Group considered the report, including:

·       Members questioned potential expansion of the proposed lane rental network and were advised expansion could occur annually by up to 3% once approved.

·       Officers confirmed the scheme required Cabinet and Council approval before submission to the Secretary of State.

·       Statutory guidance limited the initial network to 10% of roads and 9.9% of roads were being proposed based on a range of factors including historic utility activity, traffic volume and other factors.

·       In response to concerns raised about overuse of emergency works, slow reinstatements and abandoned signage, Officers confirmed fines and inspections were already in place.

·       Lane rental charges would apply after 48 hours for emergency works to discourage misuse.

·       Members highlighted sinking tarmac around utilities and Officers confirmed this was a known reinstatement defect and was subject to inspections and fines.

·       In response to a query about the exclusion of key routes from the scheme, Officers explained low historic utility activity influenced decisions but annual review could amend the network.

·       Discussion noted significant disruption caused by works on certain arterial roads and the value of maintaining strict controls.

·       Members supported innovation opportunities, including technology such as cameras on buses and Council vehicles for monitoring road conditions.

·       Clarification was given that lane?rental revenue was ring?fenced for utilities and highway maintenance, not wider transport schemes such as 20mph zones.

·       Members queried cost?benefit assumptions; Officers noted figures were estimates subject to future review.

·       In response to a query, the timeline for implementation was detailed.

Cllr McCormack left the meeting at 2:49pm.

RESOLVED that the Transportation Advisory Group recommends that Cabinet recommends to Council to:

a)     approve the submission of an application to the Secretary of State for Transport to establish and operate a Lane Rental Scheme across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole

b)     subject to Secretary of State approval, delegate the establishment and operation of a BCP Lane Rental scheme to the Service Director for Planning and Transport in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate Mitigation, Energy and Environment.

Voting: Nem. Con.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has set out details of the new Local Transport Consolidated Funding settlement for Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and confirmed funding allocations for the next Spending Review period (2026/27 to 2028/29 for revenue funding and 2026/27 to 2029/30 for capital funding).     

The new settlement grant conditions require the council by the 20 March 2026 to submit Local Transport Delivery Plans (LTDP) setting out the planned 2026/27 investment of the funding and an indicative programme for the future year allocations covering the period 2027/28 to 2029/30. 

The council then has until the 18 September 2026 to provide greater detail on the proposed 2027/28 to 2029/30 indicative programme. 

This report sets out the recommended 2026/27 programme (refer to Appendix A) for consideration and seeks approval and delegation to deliver it and to submit indicative programmes into the future to ensure compliance with the new grant conditions.

Note 1: the recommended 2027/28 programme and future year programmes thereafter shall still be brought to Council for approval annually.  In the instance of the 2027/28 programme that shall be in February/March 2027.

Note 2: this report should be read in conjunction with the Active Travel Fund (ATF) and Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) Cabinet reports.

The Head of Transport and Sustainable Travel invited the LTP and Capital Programme Manager to present a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'C' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Department for Transport (DfT) had set out details of the new Local Transport Consolidated Funding settlement for Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and confirmed funding allocations for the next Spending Review period (2026/27 to 2028/29 for revenue funding and 2026/27 to 2029/30 for capital funding).     

The new settlement grant conditions required the council by the 20 March 2026 to submit Local Transport Delivery Plans (LTDP) setting out the planned 2026/27 investment of the funding and an indicative programme for the future year allocations covering the period 2027/28 to 2029/30. 

The council then had until the 18 September 2026 to provide greater detail on the proposed 2027/28 to 2029/30 indicative programme. 

The report sets out the recommended 2026/27 programme (refer to Appendix A) for consideration and seeks approval and delegation to deliver it and to submit indicative programmes into the future to ensure compliance with the new grant conditions.

Note 1: the recommended 2027/28 programme and future year programmes thereafter shall still be brought to Council for approval annually.  In the instance of the 2027/28 programme that shall be in February/March 2027.

Note 2: this report should be read in conjunction with the Active Travel Fund (ATF) and Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) Cabinet reports.

The Group discussed the Report, including:

• Members asked about reallocating funding to speed up 20mph rollout; officers advised Cabinet/Council could reallocate but the current programme balances priorities.
• It was highlighted there was no current approval for a workplace parking levy; although it may be considered under the emerging Local Transport Plan.
• In response to a query about prioritising 20mph zones over the Deansleigh Rd / Castle Lane East junction upgrade; Officers advised the junction’s signals were life?expired and required replacement.
• Upgrades aimed to improve conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, buses and motorists; modelling suggested possible rationalisation of lanes.
• Officers noted uncertainty around future developer contributions linked to the nearby JP Morgan application.
• Members asked whether upgraded signals would need rework if future cycle lanes were added; officers confirmed modern equipment allowed easier relocation.
• Praise given for improved responsiveness on pothole repairs, but concerns raised about recurring defects; Members supported more preventative maintenance.
• Officers confirmed increased future highways maintenance funding and ongoing work across teams to improve surfacing methods and materials.
• Discussion covered challenges with road construction methods causing seam failures and the need for better long?term solutions.
• Members queried the Local Transport Grant Resource Fund; Officers explained it supported revenue costs such as staffing and business?case development.
• Significant increases in funding for LTP, bus grants and active travel were noted, requiring increased staffing capacity to deliver schemes.

RESOLVED that the Group recommends that:

a)    Cabinet recommends to Council approval of the 2026/27 Local Transport Consolidated Fund programme as set out  ...  view the full minutes text for item 18.

Active Travel England, the government’s executive agency responsible for walking, wheeling and cycling in England, published its Active Travel Capability Ratings in December 2025.  BCP Council was uprated from a Level 2 authority to a Level 3 authority.

The council is one of only 11 local authorities in the country to achieve level 3, and one of only 5 that isn’t part of a large, combined authority or city region. 

The increased grading has resulted in the council being allocated a larger Active Travel settlement.  The council has been allocated £2,249,725 of capital funding for walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure, per year up to and including 2029/30.  Alongside this, a revenue allocation of £705,869 per year up to and including 2028/29.  This represents a significant increase from the 2025/26 allocations of £1,128,857 (capital) and £330,685 (revenue).

This report recommends how the grant award should be invested and seeks delegated authority to facilitate the delivery.  The recommended proposals are aligned with the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) approved by Council in May 2022.

This report should be read in conjunction with the Local Transport Consolidated Funding Programme 2026/27 Cabinet report.

The Head of Transport and Sustainable Travel introduced the Sustainable Travel Team Leader to present a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'D' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

Active Travel England, the government’s executive agency responsible for walking, wheeling and cycling in England, published its Active Travel Capability Ratings in December 2025.  BCP Council was uprated from a Level 2 authority to a Level 3 authority.

The Council was one of only 11 local authorities in the country to achieve level 3, and one of only 5 that wasn’t part of a large, combined authority or city region. 

The increased grading had resulted in the Council being allocated a larger Active Travel settlement.  The Council had been allocated £2,249,725 of capital funding for walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure, per year up to and including 2029/30.  Alongside this, a revenue allocation of £705,869 per year up to and including 2028/29.  This represented a significant increase from the 2025/26 allocations of £1,128,857 (capital) and £330,685 (revenue).

The report recommended how the grant award should be invested and sought delegated authority to facilitate the delivery.  The recommended proposals were aligned with the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) approved by Council in May 2022.

It was noted that the report should be read in conjunction with the Local Transport Consolidated Funding Programme 2026/27 Cabinet report.

The Group considered the report, including:

• Officers confirmed funding allocation covered one year, with similar amounts expected for three years (revenue) and four years (capital).
• Members raised concerns about the missing link on Wallisdown Road; officers advised design work was already funded in the previous year and ongoing.  It was noted the section was complex due to land ownership and historic issues; engagement with ward Councillors would occur once proposals were ready.
• Discussion on Poole Park to Broadstone Way route: first phase focused on Poole Park, later phases to evaluate Tatnam Road and links to local schools.
• Members queried secure cycle parking funding; officers explained capital covers installation and revenue covers app operation and maintenance.
• It was highlighted that locations for secure cycle parking were not yet confirmed and prioritisation was required due to limited initial funding.
• Potential to combine S106 funding with LTP funding to expand provision, especially in district centres such as Boscombe was discussed.
• Members supported unified app?based access to cycle parking and potential pooling of resources to increase capacity in key areas.

RESOLVED that the Transportation Advisory Group recommend that Cabinet recommends to Council delegation of the investment of the £2.96m of 2026/27 active travel funding to the Service Director for Planning & Transport in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate Response, Environment and Energy.

Voting: Nem. Con.

The Head of Transport and Sustainable Travel introduced the Sustainable Transport Manager who presented a report, a copy of which had been circulated to each Member and a copy of which appears as Appendix 'E' to these Minutes in the Minute Book.

The Council had been awarded £5.64m Local Authority Bus Grant (LABG) by the Department for Transport (DfT) for 2026/27 to continue delivery of the Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP).

The purpose of the Report was to seek Council approval to accept and invest the grant, which was a combination of both capital and revenue funding. 

A proportion of the revenue element of the grant had been allocated to support a revised subsidised bus service network in accordance with the 4 February 2026 Subsidised Bus Services Review Cabinet report.

Note: this report should be read in conjunction with the Local Transport Consolidated Funding Programme 2026/27 Cabinet report.

The Group considered the report, including:

·       Members welcomed exploration of allowing disabled bus pass holders to travel before 9:30am, noting benefits for employment and accessibility.

·       Positive recognition given to increasing bus patronage across BCP and continued good performance regionally.

·       Clarification requested on decision?making for reopening bus station toilets; Officers confirmed closures were due to financial reasons and reopening required funded staffing.

·       Police supported reopening Poole bus station toilets on condition they were staffed and the facilities were noted to be in good condition and suitable for quick recommissioning.

·       Members raised concerns about affordability of children’s bus travel, noting inequity for those unable to afford advance tickets and the disproportionate impact on vulnerable groups.

·       Officers reported an introduction of app?based discounted child tickets and expansion of the travel zone to cover all BCP areas.

·       Operators attributed high school?time fares to peak?hour resource demands, but this issue could be raised at Enhanced Partnership meetings.

·       Bus company reintroduced smart cards to support pupils without mobile phones, following school policy changes.

·       Discussion took place on the Commuter Club £1 journeys scheme for employees; over 60,000 journeys recorded and scheme highlighted in DfT best practice guidance.

·       A Member noted the Alma Road parking review should consider the impact on the local school.

RESOLVED that the Group Recommend that Cabinet Recommends to Council:

a)    acceptance of the £5.64m Local Authority Bus Grant funding for 2026/27 from the Department for Transport

b)    to delegate delivery of the Local Authority Bus Grant funded Bus Service Improvement Plan programme set out in Appendix 2 of this report to the Service Director for Planning and Transport in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Climate Mitigation, Energy and Environment.

Voting: Nem. Con.